[ubermonkey]

I mean, it depends on your definition.

I have a nontrivial listening rig in my house. I've spent thousands in headphones over the years (which happens quickly at $300-500 a pop). The finest ones I've owned MIGHT edge the Max out in certain conditions, but

- The Max add ANC - The Max are wireless - The Max are seamlessly integrated with the rest of my Apple gear

so to me that makes them the go-to -- so much so that I actually sold off the other headphones when we moved last year. I just wasn't using them.

The tl;dr is that the Max -- even the first gen -- do indeed perform very, very well.